1960: The year of independence - France 24 1960: The year of independence Text by FRANCE 24 Follow france24_en on twitter Latest update : 2010-02-16 Between January and December of 1960, 17 sub-Saharan African nations, including 14 former French colonies, gained independence from their former European colonists. FRANCE24.com takes a look back on an eventful year. The rise to independence of 17 sub-Saharan African countries in 1960 is in part the result of a long process that began fifteen years earlier in the tumult of World War II. At the end of the war, Africans involved in pro-independence movements put pressure on colonial powers, reminding them of promises made to secure their support in the war effort. The colonising countries, chaperoned by the United States, were thus obliged to let their colonies go. In 1944 in Brazzaville, General de Gaulle suggested that it was time for France to take “the road of a new era”.

Two years later, the French colonial empire was replaced by the French Union, which in turn became the French Community in 1958. At the same time on the African continent, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, Ghana, and Guinea won their independence, while the unrest in Algeria continued to exhaust and damage France’s reputation. CAMEROON – January 1. A former German colony divided between France and the United Kingdom in 1918, Cameroon acquired its independence thanks to armed movements. Less than a year after the United Nations announced the end of French control, French Cameroon proclaimed its independence. The following year, the southern part of the country, under British control, merged with the north. On May 5, 1960, Ahmadou Ahidjo was elected as the country’s first president. Sylvanus Olympio (AFP) TOGO – April 27. A former German colony subsequently under French and British mandates following World War I. The part of the country administered by the French had a status of “associated territory” in the French Union established in 1946. The country became an autonomous republic (within the French Union) by referendum in 1956.

In February 1958, victory for the the Togolese Unity Committee, a nationalist movement, in legislative elections opened the way to independence. Elected first president of the republic, Sylvanus Olympio was later killed in January 1963 during a coup d’état. MADAGASCAR – June 26. A French overseas territory as of 1946, this island was proclaimed an autonomous state within the French Community in 1958. In 1960, President Philibert Tsiranana succeeded in convincing General de Gaulle to grant Madagascar total sovereignty and, in doing so, became the first president of the republic. Patrice Lumumba (AFP) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – June 30. In January 1959, under the leadership of Patrice Lumumba, riots broke out in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) in what was then known as the Belgian Congo. Belgian authorities called the main Congolese leaders to Brussels and decided to withdraw from the country, fearing a war of independence similar to the one that was ravaging Algeria at the time.

Belgian Congo thus became the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and would later temporarily be called Zaire under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko. SOMALIA – July 1. A former Italian colony, Somalia merged on the day it became independent with the former British protectorate of Somaliland in 1960 to form the Somali Republic. Somaliland had itself gained its full sovereignty five days earlier. The objective was to reconstitute the “Greater Somalia” of the pre-colonial era, which had included Kenya, Ethiopia, and the future Djibouti, which was at that time under French control. BENIN – August 1. A referendum on September 28, 1958, proposing a plan for a French-African Community, paved the way for the independence of Dahomey two years later, when power was transferred to President Hubert Maga. The country, renamed Benin in 1975, has had a tumultuous political history since independence. NIGER – August 3. A referendum in 1958 propelled Diori Hamana to power.

The republic is proclaimed on December 18, 1958, but independence is solemnly declared on August 3, 1960. Hamani, the country’s first president, is overthrown by a coup d’état in 1974. BURKINA FASO – August 5. A French protectorate, the Republic of Upper Volta is proclaimed on December 11, 1958, but remains part of the French community, before gaining full independence on August 5, 1960. In 1984, the country takes the name of Burkina Faso under the presidency of Thomas Sankara, who was assassinated in 1987. Houphouët-Boigny (AFP) IVORY COAST – August 7. A referendum in 1958 resulted in the Ivory Coast becoming an autonomous republic. In June of 1960, the pro-French Félix Houphouët-Boigny proclaimed the country’s independence, but maintaining close ties between Abidjan and Paris. The Ivory Coast became one of the most prosperous West African nations. CHAD – August 11.

Two years after becoming a republic, Chad achieved independence on August 11, 1960. The prime minister at the time, François Tombalbaye, thus became the first president of a country that deteriorated rapidly into civil war between the Muslim north and the Christian-majority south. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – August 13. Under French control as of 1905, Ubangi-Chari became the Central African Republic on December 1, 1958. When independence was proclaimed on August 13, 1960, David Dacko, cousin of national hero Barthélémy Boganda, was propelled to the head of the country. A committed pan-Africanist, Boganda presided over French Equatorial Africa (the federation of French colonial territories in Central Africa) for two years, working for the emancipation of Africans. He died on March 29, 1959, in an airplane accident. THE REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – August 15. Ninety nine percent of the Congolese people voted to join the French Community in a 1958 referendum, making the country an autonomous republic.

The following year, violence broke out in Brazzaville, triggering a French military intervention. On August 15, 1960, Congo gained independence, with Fulbert Youlou as president until 1963. GABON – August 17. Criticised by several opposition parties for being anti-independence, Prime Minister Léon M’Ba was nevertheless resigned to proclaim it on August 17. He would have preferred that Gabon become a French department, but had to back down when General de Gaulle refused. Léopold Sédar Senghor (AFP) SENEGAL, MALI – August 20, September 22. The independent republics of Senegal and Mali were born from the ashes of the short-lived Federation of Mali – established on January 17, 1959 – made up of Senegal and former French Sudan.

The two countries had initially intended to form one, but after significant differences between Léopold Sédar Senghor, the Senegalese president of the Federal Assembly, and Modibo Keita, his Sudanese prime minister, the authorities in Dakar withdrew from the federation and declared independence on August 20. Authorities in Bamako followed suit a month later. NIGERIA – October 1. Divided into a federation of three regions – North, East, and West – by the Lyttelton Constitution in 1954, Nigeria, with its population of 34 million, was already considered the giant of the African continent. As soon as independence was declared on October 1, the former British colony was confronted with its deep ethnic and religious divisions, which quickly became the cause of severe political instability. MAURITANIA – November 28. Mauritania proclaimed its independence on November 28, despite opposition from Morocco and the Arab League. The country’s constitution, established in 1964, set up a presidential regime, with Prime Minister Ould Daddah becoming president. He remained in power until 1978.

A Brief History of Cameroon, Africa A Brief History of Cameroon Updated August 08, 2016. The Bakas: The earliest inhabitants of Cameroon were probably the Bakas (Pygmies). They still inhabit the forests of the south and east provinces. Bantu speakers originating in the Cameroonian highlands were among the first groups to move out before other invaders. During the late 1770s and early 1800s, the Fulani, a pastoral Islamic people of the western Sahel , conquered most of what is now northern Cameroon, subjugating or displacing its largely non-Muslim inhabitants. Arrival of the Europeans: Although the Portuguese arrived on Cameroon's coast in the 1500s, malaria prevented significant European settlement and conquest of the interior until the late 1870s, when large supplies of the malaria suppressant, quinine, became available. The early European presence in Cameroon was primarily devoted to coastal trade and the acquisition of slaves. The northern part of Cameroon was an important part of the Muslim slave trade network. The slave trade was largely suppressed by the mid-19th century.

continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Christian missions established a presence in the late 19th century and continue to play a role in Cameroonian life. From German Colony to League of Nation Mandates: Beginning in 1884, all of present-day Cameroon and parts of several of its neighbors became the German colony of Kamerun, with a capital first at Buea and later at Yaounde. After World War I, this colony was partitioned between Britain and France under a June 28, 1919 League of Nations mandate. France gained the larger geographical share, transferred outlying regions to neighboring French colonies, and ruled the rest from Yaounde. Britain's territory--a strip bordering Nigeria from the sea to Lake Chad, with an equal population--was ruled from Lagos. Struggle for Independence: In 1955, the outlawed Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC), based largely among the Bamileke and Bassa ethnic groups, began an armed struggle for independence in French Cameroon. This rebellion continued, with diminishing intensity, even after independence. Estimates of death from this conflict vary from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.

Becoming a Republic: French Cameroon achieved independence in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the largely Muslim northern two-thirds of British Cameroon voted to join Nigeria; the largely Christian southern third voted to join with the Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The formerly French and British regions each maintained substantial autonomy. A One Party State: Ahmadou Ahidjo, a French-educated Fulani, was chosen President of the federation in 1961. Ahidjo, relying on a pervasive internal security apparatus, outlawed all political parties but his own in 1966. He successfully suppressed the UPC rebellion, capturing the last important rebel leader in 1970. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state. The Road to Multi-Party Democracy: Ahidjo resigned as President in 1982 and was constitutionally succeeded by his Prime Minister, Paul Biya, a career official from the Bulu-Beti ethnic group. Ahidjo later regretted his choice of successors, but his supporters failed to overthrow Biya in a 1984 coup.

Biya won single-candidate elections in 1984 and 1988 and flawed multiparty elections in 1992 and 1997. His Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) party holds a sizeable majority in the legislature following 2002 elections--149 deputies out of a total of 180. (Text from Public Domain material, US Department of State Background Notes .) Other Countries That Gained Independence In 1960 And How They Got Their Names - Politics - Nigeria Other Countries That Gained Independence In 1960 And How They Got Their Names by Giftedgreen : 10:46am On Oct 01, 2013 Today marks 53 years since Nigeria gained independence from its British colonial masters, and like every other patriotic Nigerian we want to desist from the pessimistic habit of asking what Nigeria has achieved since independence and embrace a cheerful mood instead and celebrate Nigeria’s Independence and wish her many more prosperous years ahead.

Nigeria is not the only country that gained independence in the year 1960, in fact 17 other countries gained independence in the year 1960, sixteen in Africa and Cyprus in Europe. How these countries got their names can be quite interesting or boring, why don’t you read on to find out. 1.Nigeria Flora Shaw invented the name Nigeria. Who is Flora Shaw? She was a British journalist who later became the wife of Lord Fredrick Lugard. Remember Lord Lugard? The guy who amalgamated northern and southern protectorate? The first Governor-General of Nigeria? Yes, that Lord Lugard, and yes he married Flora Shaw. Flora Shaw suggested the name “Nigeria” in a letter to the Times of London, in January 8th 1897. She referred to the area as Nigeria, after the Niger River. Interestingly, the word Niger is Latin for black, so it is left for you to decide if she was referring to River Niger or a nation of Black people.

2.Cameroon Cameroon got its name from the Portuguese who, upon arriving on the coast in the 1400s found seafood in such abundance that they decided to call the main estuary Rio dos Camaroes, or River of prawns. Unfortunately, today, the people of Cameroon import most of the seafood they consume, while local fishermen are going out of business, and you taught Nigeria has a serious problem with mismanagement of resources. 3.Senegal The country takes its name from River Senegal. And how did River Senegal get its name? The most popular etymology from Wolof people state that the name derives from the local term “sunu gal” to mean “our canoe” or more precisely “our pirogue” because when the colonist came that’s what they people kept saying… The colonist thought they were learning the name of the country.

The story goes that when a Portuguese captain came across some Wolof fishermen and asked them what the name of the river was, they believed he was asking who their fishing boat belonged to and they simply replied “it is our boat” (sunu gaal) 4.Republic Of Togo Modern day Togo and its surrounding region were formally called “The Slave Coast”, this is because, and as you can guess the region used to be a major trading center for Europeans searching for slaves. It was called “the Slave Coast” for about 200 years until a treaty was signed at Togoville with Germany and this area became the Germany colony of Togoland. Togo’s name comes from Togodo, which means ‘behind the lake’ in ewe – a reference to Lake Togo. Since 1884, Togoland and later Togo became synonymous for the entire region under colonial control. The term Togolese first appeared after World War I, and population increasingly identified with this term, culminating in 1960 with the choice of Republic of Togo as the Official name.

5.Burkina Faso Burkina was called Upper Volta (land of the Upper Volta River) whose main tributaries originate in the coutry. The Volta itself is a Portuguese word for twist or turn. The country got its name using a word from each of the country’s two major native languages, Moore and Dioula. Figuratively, “Burkina” from Moore may be translated to “men of integrity” while “Faso” means “fatherland” in Dioula. Burkina Faso is thus meant to be understood as “Land of the upright people” or “Land of honest People” The capital of Burkina Faso is Ouagadougou. Written as “Wogodogo” in the Moore dialext, it literally means “You are welcome here at home with us" 6.Central African Republic Central African Republic is a self descriptive name from its French name “Republique centrafricaine” Central African Republic was a French colony known as Ubangi-Shari, because the land is split between the basins of Ubangi and Shari Rivers.

When colonialism started collapsing, Barthelemy Boganda, a nationalist leader of the present day Central African Republic announced his plan to unite much of the continent under the name “the United States of Latin Africa”. That didn’t work out, but, under the advice of the outgoing French colonial official, Boganda did rename the newly independent Ubagi-Shari as “Central African Republic” with the intent of convincing his neighbor to join this republic. But the plan never worked out and Bogander died of a mysterious plane accident eight years before he was to take over as president. Conspiracy theorists please gather around and find someone to blame for his death 7.Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo Both countries gets its name from the river, the river gets its name from the ancient Kingdom of Kongo which inhabited the lands at the mouth of the river around the time of its discovery by the Portuguese and whose name derives from its people, the Bakongo, an endonym said to mean “hunters” (Kongo: Mukongo, nkongo) 8.Somalia The overwhelming majority of Somalis trace their genealogical origin to the mythical founding father, Samaale or Samaal.

Their name derives from Samaal, their eponymous ancestor. 9.The Republic of Madagascar It was Marco Polo who gave the island its name. Madagascar got its name from Marco Polo in his memoirs where he described an African island of untold wealth called “Madeigascar” although it was accidental since he intended to say Mogadishu. Hence early reference to the Island as Madeigascar or Mogalasio, this eventually became Madagascar about the 16th century. 10.Cote d’Ivoire Elephant, with their ivory tusk were once numerous in the region formerly known as Ivory Coast. It was named Ivory Coast when people began trading ivory there. The French called it Cote d’Ivoire while the Portuguese called costa do marfin, all literally meaning Ivory Coast. The name Ivory Coast reflected the major trade that occurred on that particular stretch of the coast: export of ivory. There was a Grain Coast, Gold Coast and Slave Coast, if you ask us these seem like very obvious ways to name places.

The country retained the name – Ivory Coast – through the colonial rule and independence, but in 1986 the government of the country declared Cote d’Ivoire (or, more fully, Republiqeu de cote d’Ivoire) to be the formal name of the country for the purpose of diplomatic protocol and officials refuse to recognize or accept any translation from French to any other language in its international dealings 11.Chad Chad got its name from Lake Chad with Chad being a local word for “a large expanse of water”. Chad is name derives from the Kanuri word “Tsade” (lake) 12.Cyprus There are no specific sites citing how Cyprus got its name, but there are implications that it was named after the Mediterranean cypress tree Another folk etymology is that Cyprus derives its name from “copper” since the island’s supply gave Greek and Latin gave words for metal.

13.Gabon The Nations present name originated from “Gabao”, Portuguese for “cloak” which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo River 14.Mali Mali is named for pre-colonial empire that didn’t have the same border as its modern namesake The name “Mali” is derived from “Malinke”, the name of the people who established the Mali Empire in 1230. Malinke is the name their neighbor’s gave them. It’s a corruption of their name for themselves – Madinka (which means “People of Manden”, their homeland in the Niger region) 15.Niger The name Niger is derived from the phrase gher n-gheren which means “river among rivers” in Tamashek language. 16.Mauritius The name of Mauritius was named to honor Prince Maurice de Nassau by Dutch Explorers. The French claimed it in 1715 and renamed it “Ile de France”. In 1810, Mauritius was captured by British and renamed back to Mauritius 17.Benin Republic Benin republic derives its name from bright of Benin, a water body located in the southern region of the country.

During the colonial period Benin used to be known as Dahomey (On the belly of Dan) an ancient kingdom located in the south of what is modern-day Benin Republic Nice info op dis adds to my encyclopedia I pray dis makes front page So odas can gain 4rm dis too Re: Other Countries That Gained Independence In 1960 And How They Got Their Names by 247notire (m): 11:07am On Oct 01, 2013 Gud info here.tanx OP. Fp pls! ^^ Thank you for your feedback Re: Other Countries That Gained Independence In 1960 And How They Got Their Names by Tolexander : 11:33am On Oct 01, 2013 Thanks OP for the info! But who are these people fabricating some stories and peddling them to us when we were young taking advantage of our innocence and naivity. I can remember they said some yorubas who couldn't understand what the europeans were asking them had to respond 'igi lan di'(we only gathering woods) now corrupted to England making the place to be called england today.

Likewise 'a me ri ka'(oh i can't read it) when they couldn't read what was given to them to read. The 'a me ri ka' now corrupted to America. Then Burkina faso is said to be formed from 'buki na faso'(buki also farted) corrupted. And these set of people were the one telling us india vs nigeria ended in 99 1. Bibliography Independence achieved 1 August 1960. Former name: Dahomey (renamed 30 November 1975). Botswana (Republic of Botswana) Independence achieved 30 September 1966. Former name: British Protectorate of Bechuanaland (name changed with independence in 1966). Burkina Faso (Republic of Burkina Faso) Independence achieved 5 August 1960. Former name: Republic of Upper Volta (renamed in 1984). Burundi (Republic of Burundi) Independence achieved 1 July 1962. Former name: Urundi (part of Ruaunda-Urundi, renamed with independence in 1962).

Cameroon (Republic of Cameroon) Independence achieved 1 January 1960 for East Cameroon (former French colony). Formed the Federal Republic (1 October 1961) when Southern (west) Cameroon (former British colony) voted in a U.N. supervised election (11 February 1961) to be attached to the former French Cameroon. Officially became United Republic of Cameroon on 2 June 1972, and renamed Republic of Cameroon in 1984. Central African Republic Independence achieved 13 August 1960. Former name: Oubangui-Chari (renamed 1 December 1958). Chad (Republic of Chad) Independence achieved 11 August 1960. Congo (People's Republic of the Congo) Independence achieved 15 August 1960. Former names: Middle Congo (part of French Equatorial Africa), Congo-Brazzaville. Côte d'Ivoire (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire) Independence achieved 7 August 1960.

Formerly refered to by the equivalent translation of the name into different languages, such as "Ivory Coast" in English. In 1986, the government declared that all countries should use the French name "Côte d'Ivoire". Democratic Republic of the Congo Independence achieved June 1960. 17 May 1997 the former regime (Zaire) of Marshal Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngendu Banga was toppled and the present Democratic Republic of the Congo was established in its place. Former names: Congo Free State 1855-1908, Belgian Congo, 1908-1960, Democratic Republic of the Congo or Congo-Leopoldville, 1960-1966, Congo-Kinshasa 1966-1971, Zaire 1971-1997. Djibouti (Republic of Djibouti) Independence achieved 27 June 1997. Former names: French Somaliland until 1967, French territory of the Afars and Issas until independence.

Egypt (Arab Republic of Egypt) Egypt has been seat of civilization since ancient times, however recent history has seen conquest by the Ottoman Empire in 1517, Napoleon Bonaparte's France in 1798, and finally by Britain in 1882. Modern independence was achieved on 28 February 1922 by British declaration. Equatorial Guinea (Republic of Equatorial Guinea) Independence achieved 12 October 1968. Former name: Spanish Guinea (renamed with independence). Eritrea (State of Eritrea) Independence achieved 24 May 1993. Ethiopia (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia) Ethiopia has enjoyed independence from ancient times and has resisted attempts by other nations at colonization. Former name: Abyssinia. Gabon (Republic of Gabon) Independence achieved 17 August 1960. The Gambia (Republic of the Gambia) Independence achieved 18 February 1965. Ghana (Republic of Ghana) Independence achieved 6 March 1957. Former name: Gold Coast (renamed with independence). Guinea (Republic of Guinea) Independence achieved 2 October 1958.

Guinea-Bissau (Republic of Guinea-Bissau) Independence achieved 24 September 1973. Former name Portuguese Guinea (renamed with independence). Kenya (Republic of Kenya) Independence achieved 12 December 1963. Lesotho (Kingdom of Lesotho) Independence achieved 4 October 1966. Former name: Basutoland. Liberia (Republic of Liberia) Independence achieved 26 July 1847. Liberia was established by Black American colonists sent by the American Colonisation Society in a controversial move to repatriate freed American slaves to Africa. After Ethiopia, it is the oldest of the modern independent African nations. Libya (Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) Independence achieved 24 December 1951. Madagascar (Democratic Republic of Madagascar) Independence achieved 26 June 1960. Malawi (Republic of Malawi) Independence achieved 6 July 1964. Former name: Nyasaland. Mali (Republic of Mali) Independence achieved 22 September 1960. Former name: Soudan.

Mauritania (Islamic Republic of Mauritania) Independence achieved 28 November 1960. Morocco (Kingdom of Morocco) Independence achieved 2 March 1956. Mozambique (Republic of Mozambique) Independence achieved 25 June 1975. Former name: Portuguese East Africa. Namibia (Republic of Namibia) Independence achieved 21 March 1990. Former name South West Africa. Niger (Republic of Niger) Independence achieved 3 August 1960. Nigeria (Federal Republic of Nigeria) Independence achieved 1 October 1960. Rwanda (Republic of Rwanda) Independence achieved 1 July 1962. Former name Ruanda (part of Belgian administered territory of Ruanda-Urundi under League of Nations mandate 1919-1946, and U.N. Trusteeship 1946-1962). Senegal (Republic of Senegal) Independence achieved 20 August 1960. Sierra Leone (Republic of Sierra Leone) Independence achieved 27 April 1961.

Somalia (Somali Democratic Republic) Independence achieved 1 July 1960. South Africa (Republic of South Africa) Independence achieved 11 December 1931. The dismantling of apartheid affectively began in 1991 with the proposal to repeal of Lands Acts of 1913 and 1936, and the Group Areas act of 1966 by then President F.W. De Klerk. By 27 April 1994 a Majority Rule Constitution was adopted, and on 10 May 1994 anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the President of South Africa bringing an end to apartheid in South Africa. Sudan (Democratic Republic of the Sudan) Independence achieved 1 January 1956. Swaziland (Kingdom of Swaziland) Independence achieved 6 September 1968. Tanzania (United Republic of Tanzania) Tanganyika achieved independence on 9 December 1961. Zanzibar Achieved independence on 10 December 1963.

The United Republic was formed on 27 April 1964, and the name Tanzania was adopted on 29 October 1964. Togo (Republic of Togo) Independence achieved 27 April 1960. Former name Togoland. Tunisia (Republic of Tunisia) Independence achieved 20 March 1956. Uganda (Republic of Uganda) Independence achieved 9 October 1962. Western Sahara (Saharwi Arab Democratic Republic) When Spain withdrew from Western Sahara (then known as Spanish Sahara or Rio de Oro) in 1976 both Morocco and Mauritania moved to annex the territory. Mauritania withdrew in August 1979, and Western Sahara was absorbed by Morocco. However a political front called the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (POLISARIO) continued to struggle against foreign domination against Morocco and formed the Saharwi Arab Democratic Republic as a government in exile on 4 March 1976 which was recognized in 1984 by the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) leading Morocco to withdraw its membership from the OAU.

In May 1991, Morocco and the Polisario Front ended fighting as a part of a U.N. sponsored peace settlement. The future of Saharwi is still to be decided as of this writing (9 September 1998). Zambia (Republic of Zambia) Independence achieved 24 October 1964. Former name: Northern Rhodesia. Zimbabwe (Republic of Zimbabwe) Independence achieved 18 April 1980. Former names: Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia. Not Shown on the Map: Cape Verde (Republic of Cape Verde) Independence achieved 5July 1975. Comoros Islands (Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros) Independence achieved 6 July 1975 (formally recognized by France (colonial regime) 1 January 1976). Mauritius (Republic of Mauritius) Independence achieved 12 March 1968. Reunion Administered by the French Overseas Department since 19 March 1946. French colony since 1642.

São Tomé and Príncipe (Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe) Independence achieved 12 July 1975. Seychelles (Republic of Seychelles) Independence achieved 29 June 1976. Bibliography Independence Day of Cameroon, Cameroon Independence Day, Cameroonian Independence Day. 123Independenceday » Cameroon Cameroon Independence Day Independence Day or National Holidays not only indicate public holidays but are also days of extreme importance in the history of the country. For Cameroon, the National Day indicates honor and pride. Complete Independence was not granted to a largely colonized Cameroon till 1972. The Republic of Cameroon, as it is called now, celebrates its National Day or Republic Day on the 20th May. It was on this date, way back in 1972, the constitution of the United Republic of Cameroon was adopted by the Union Nationale Camerounaise headed by President Ahmadou Ahidjo. Later under the leadership of Paul Biya, The constitution was amended and Cameroon was provided its present name. With its rich culture and traditional art forms, Cameroon houses over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups.

The Sao Civilization flourished around the Lake Chad as early as in AD 500, while the Baka hunter gatherers resided in the southeastern rain forests from the Neolithic Age. Named by Portuguese explorers, who reached the coast in the 15th Century, Cameroon derives its name from Rio dos Camarï¿½es (River of Prawns). Cameroon's claim to fame in recent times is the performance of the national football team that performs at par with other bigger nations. The Union Nationale Camerounaise has controlled the governance of the country from Yaoundï¿½, the Capital City since 1972 till date, now renamed as Cameroon People's Democratic Movement. Invasions by Portuguese explorers, way back in the 15th Century marked the advent of various political powers into the country and the process of successive colonization. Various ethnic groups also made powerful chiefdoms and fondoms in the West and Northwest parts of the country. Made into a German colony in 1884, the territory of Cameroon was split between France and Great Britain after World War I, as the League of Nation Mandates prescribed.

French Cameroun became independent under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in 1960 and the southern parts of the British Cameroon was merged with the territory in 1961. The present day Republic of Cameroon with a population of about 17 million, came into existence in 1984. The Economic Crisis of the mid 1980's and 90's was the greatest challenge to the government, which is now much more stabilized. Political and social stability has helped in the development of agriculture, roads, railways and large petroleum and timber industry. The main trading partners of Cameroon include Spain, Italy, UK, France, U.S., South Korea, Netherlands, Nigeria, Belgium, China, and Germany. Although the French Cameroon celebrates this day with pomp and gaiety, the Southern Cameroon have in recent times preferred to commemorate 1st October, the day the British flag was finally lowered in the South Cameroon, as a more appropriate date for the event. The National Day Celebrations include parades involving public officials, party loyalists dressed in commemorative cloth with party insignia, and schoolchildren as well as dance troupes.

The Cameroon Students Union also organizes Annual National Week awareness programs including various cultural and informative activities. HISTORY OF CAMEROON HISTORY OF CAMEROON Enjoy the Famous Daily A German colony: 1884-1914 In the early 19th century there is considerable activity in Cameroon by British and American missionaries, but a German connection begins only when the Woermann Company of Hamburg builds a warehouse in 1868 on the estuary of the Wouri river. Other German traders follow, in sufficient numbers to send requests home for the appointment of a consul. Their hopes are met in full by Bismarck's dramatic decision in 1884 to establish a German empire in Africa. Gustav Nachtigal arrives in Cameroon in that year to make a treaty with one of the local kings and to annexe the region for the German emperor. A consul is appointed before the year is out, followed by a governor in 1885. This first year is not without local troubles. Chiefs not party to the treaty with the Germans attack their turncoat colleague's village and tear down the German flag. Unfortunately for them the German warship Bismarck is in the vicinity.

The result is savage reprisals, followed in turn by the murder of the Woermann Company's local representative. But on the broader international scene, Germany makes very satisfactory progress. In negotiations, begun at the Berlin Conference of 1884-5, France and Britain cede their local interests on the coast. Some ten years later, in 1893-4, inland frontiers are agreed with British Nigeria to the west and French Equatorial Africa to the east. Finally in 1911, in this ongoing game of colonial diplomacy, Cameroon is granted 105,000 square miles of French Equatorial Africa in return for acknowledging French rights over Morocco . The Germans have considerable difficulty in enforcing their authority over the colony. At first, like other colonial powers in Africa, they leave the local administration largely to commercial companies. These are granted concessions over vast territories and ruthlessly use forced labour to make a profit on banana, rubber, palm-oil and cocoa plantations. But Cameroon is moving gradually towards a more state-controlled administration when its existence as a German colony is brought to an abrupt end.

French and British rule: 1916-1960 When World War I breaks out in 1914, aligning France and Britain against Germany, the two German colonies on the Gulf of Guinea are in an impossible position. Both Togoland and Cameroon are sandwiched between British and French colonies. Within weeks of the start of the war military action begins on the borders. By early 1916 the British and French are in control of both German colonies. The two allies divide Togo and Cameroon between them, administering the regions adjacent to their own colonies. In the Treaty of Versailles, in 1919, Germany renounces sovereignty over all her African colonies. The issue of who shall rule them is referred to the League of Nations . The mandates granted by the League of Nations in 1922 confirm the working division already established in Cameroon between Britain and France. The British are to adminster by far the smaller share, consisting of two thin strips on the eastern border of Nigeria. They are separated by a stretch of land south of the Benoué river, where the Nigerian border bulges to the east. These two regions become known as the British Cameroons.

On the French side, the large eastern area ceded in 1911 is returned to French Equatorial Africa. The remaining central territory becomes a new French mandated colony, to be known as French Cameroun. French Cameroun enjoys more rapid economic and political development than the British Cameroons, and it feels sooner the effects of the independence movements sweeping through the continent after World War II. From 1956 the French are confronted by a powerful uprising orchestrated by a nationalist party, the UPC (Union des Populations du Cameroun), demanding immediate independence. The uprising is suppressed by French troops. When independence is granted in 1960 - after Cameroun has voted to remain within the French Community - the ruling party (the Union Camerounaise, founded as recently as 1958 by Ahmadou Ahidjo) is in favour of retaining a strong link with France. Meanwhile, with the French mandated territory independent as the Cameroun Republic, the question remains as to the future of the British Cameroons. Should they be merged with Nigeria (now on the verge of independence) or with the already independent Cameroun Republic.

The question is put to a plebiscite in 1961. The northern region votes to join Nigeria. The southern region opts for the Cameroun Republic, which it joins on a federated basis. The new nation becomes known as the Federal Republic of Cameroon. Independence: from1960 Ahidjo, the first president of Cameroon, inherits a smouldering civil war against the supporters of the more radical party, the UPC. It is gradually (if also brutally) won by the government. But the state of emergency becomes in the long term an easy way for Ahidjo to establish a repressive dictatorship. He is able to continue his rule for an unbroken period of twenty-two years and then to hand the presidency peacefully in 1982 to a successor of his own choice, Paul Biya. But the calm proves short-lived when it transpires that Ahidjo expects to retain broad control over the nation through his continuing leadership of the only party, the UNC or Union Camerounaise. A power struggle between Biya and Ahidjo lasts for two years, though Ahidjo himself is in exile in Senegal from 1983.

It ends with an uprising by the Republican Guard in 1984 in favour of Ahidjo. When this fails, Biya is in undisputed control. He continues to run a one-party state (forming his own new party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement), but with a less heavy hand than Ahidjo. By the early 1990s the pressure for constitutional change leads to elections in 1992 which are narrowly won by Biya and his party. In 1997 they win with a wider margin. On both occasions there are complaints of electoral fraud. Two issues dominate Cameroon politics of the 1990s. One is a long-running constitutional dispute between the English-speaking southwest of the country (one of the former British Cameroons) and the French-speaking majority. The original federal structure has been replaced in 1972 by a unified republic. Towards the end of the century there is mounting clamour from the anglophone minority for a return to two federated provinces. Internationally Cameroon is engaged in a long dispute with its neighbour Nigeria over rights in the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula. There are occasional armed encounters on the ground while the issue is considered by the International Court of Justice.

Gabon gains independence from France | South African History Online South African History Online Home » Gabon gains independence from France Gabon gains independence from France Gabon Flag Wednesday, 17 August 1960 On 17 August 1960 Gabon, the last of the four territories, which had formed French Equatorial Africa, achieved independence. Gabriel LÁƒÂƒ©on M'Ba become the new president, he was an autocratic ruler. Autocratic regimes continued to rule Gabon after she achieved independence, but early in the 1990s Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and institutional reforms. Gabon was first explored by the Portuguese navigator Diego Cam in the 15th century. In 1472, the Portuguese explorers encountered the mouth of the Como River and named it "Rio de Gabao," river of Gabon, which later became the name of the country. The Dutch began arriving in 1593, and the French in 1630.

In 1839, the French founded their first settlement on the left bank of the Gabon estuary and gradually occupied the hinterland during the second half of the 19th century. The land became a French territory in 1888 and an autonomous republic within the French Union after World War II. Related Links:

Question: From which counry did Cameroon gain independence in 1960?
Answer: FRANCE